Working Title The seventh year
by ScarlettXOXdrawl
Summary: Begins where HBP ends. HPGW HGRW RLNT. Rated teen just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Harry slept uneasily. Tomorrow, he would don his Invisibility Cloak, hope on his broom, and leave the Dursley's once and for all. 

Strange; Harry had, of course, always known that one day he'd leave his Aunt and Uncles' home- but now that he was of age- now that he could do magic as he pleased- it seemed unreal.

Hedwig hooted softly from her cage. Dudly snored monstrously loud from the next room. Somewhere in the house, the A/C clicked on. And in the yard, two crouched figures were whispering.

"But why can't we do it now, Malfoy?"

"I've told you, you dolt. His mudblood mother still protects him while he's here!"

"Then why are we here?"

"That, you great git, is my business alone. I have seen all I need to see." With an abrupt snap, the first figure disappearated. The 2nd figure mumbled some choice words, then followed the other.

* * *

Uncle Vernon's upper lip was curled into a disdainful sneer. He sat on the kitchen table, surveying Harry as he walked down the stairs.

"Don't expect me to help with your luggage, boy."

"I don't." Harry looked up the stairs, flicked his wand, and his trunk levitated. With a second flick, it shrunk.

"Accio Trunk!"

Aunt Petunia turned from the stove. Her lips were pulled sucked in over her large teeth, her eyes cold with disgust. Dudly shoveled in another stack of pancakes.

"There will be none of that rubbish under this roof!" Uncle Vernon snarled.

"No, I don't suppose there will be anymore." Harry bound the trunk to his broomstick. Plucking his father's cloak off of Hedwig's cage, he flung it over his shoulder. He grabbed his broom and headed for the kitchen door- but not before stealing Dudley's last pancake.

* * *

"Wotcher, Harry!" Harry smiled. He hadn't heard Tonks use the word 'wotcher' in nearly a year. He was glad to see her hair back to a vibrant color- today it was bright green, her eyes turned to match.

"There you are, Harry. Sleep in?" Lupin came into the Burrow's Kitchen and kissed Tonks. That would explain her brilliant demeanor.

"No, I just ran into the tail end of a nasty thunderstorm."

"Oh you dear boy!" Mrs. Weasely hustled into the kitchen and vigorously hugged Harry. "Oh, you dear, dear boy! We would have let you travel by floo- but Arthur had us cut off of the network. And of course, you haven't be tested for apperation and what not- but your soaking wet, so you are!" She waved her wand idly and Harry's clothes immediately dried. "Everyone's up in Ron's room, I think they're having a chess tournament or something of that sort. Up you go now!" With a gentle push she directed him to the stairs.

Harry was half way up the flight when he paused. Mrs. Weasley had never ushered him out like that…unless something important was being said. Harry turned, and crept back down the steps.

"… and we need to know what color you think would suit Ginny best for the bridesmaid dress." Ah, they were discussing Fleur's wedding plans. Not so important at all, really.

"Harry!" Hermoine ran down the hall and into Harry's arm. A rather disgruntled Ron watched from the side. "Harry, I'm so glad you're here!"

"How are you, mate?" Ron greeted him with a handshake. Harry raised his eyebrows. Since when had Ron been so…adult? A small part of him was jealous of Ron's man like composure. " You should have been here an hour ago, it was bloody brilliant! Fred 'accidentally' gave Mad-eye a new product- makes you swell up until you deflate and go spinning like a ballon- anyway, Mad-eye tried to cure himself by not breathing. Eventually he just inflated with helium and turned a lovely shade of purple. He's still a bit winded, ya know? And I thought Mum would kill Fred, she actually tried to _spank _him, can you believe it?"

And then again, maybe he wasn't so composed.

"Where's Fred and George now?"

"Went back to shop. Not after practically sodding themselves with fear, though."

Harry wanted to ask about Ginny, but was spared the trouble.

"Harry. How's it going." She sounded so nonchalant.

"Good, you?" He mirrored her indifferent tone.

"Fine. I have to study, schools going to be hectic next year." Harry heard the unspoken words in her sentence- a bitter reminder that unlike his self, she would return to Hogwarts next year- if Hogwarts had a next year.

Hermione looked at him strangely, as if she was almost contemptuous. Harry inwardly sighed. Everything had been wonderful when he first arrived, but now…


	2. Chapter 2

The four were walking down to the Weasely's broom shed.  
"So it was me and Ginny versus Fred and George. Hermoine was the seeker for both sides- no one would get the points, just end the game"  
" And i was completely ghastly at it. I'll never understand Quidditch!" Hermoine moaned.  
"No, no, you were great, honestly!" Ron earnestly comforted her. Then under his breath to Harry: "It's awful. We're sill continuing our first game." "Anyway, mate, now that you're hear we can play Fred and George as opposite keepers, me and Hermoine will be chasers, and you and Ginny can play seekers." Ron continued.  
"When'll the twins be here?" Harry wrenched the shed door open.  
"Already here, Harry m'boy!" Fred greeted him jovially. He and George had apperated in between the shed wall and broomsticks, and his body was twisted in a rather awkward position.  
"What are we waiting on, my good men?" George swished his wand, and the brooms bombarded their owners. Hermoine looked positively terrified at hers. "Here, Hermoine. Take mine. It's easier." Harry handed her his broom. She smiled in thanks. "That's very-er, generous of you." Ron observed, his voice tinged with jealousy.  
They mounted and flew over to the makeshift pitch in the Burrow's Backyard. Harry and the Weasleys flew with the grace and fluidity of a true Quidditch player. Hermoine on the other hand.  
" 'Mione! Watch out!" Ron called. His bushy haired friend was rolling through the air haphazardly. She only spun faster, until finally her tail end ran smack into a tree.  
With a sick splintering, her broom became little more than a stick. Unreally, she tumbled in a mass of robes and hair. Ron dived down ( Harry was reminded of the urgency he had once seen in Viktor Krum's feint). "Get Mum!" He called hoarsely. Fred and George apperated, leaving two empty Cleansweeps to drift to the yard. Harry dismounted and ran to Hermoine's body. Only Ginny remained in the air- what was that on the edge of the forest...

* * *

"Oh, she'll be right as rain in an hour or two. Just a handful of bones to mend, nothing to worry about!" Mrs. Weasely poured an amber liquid down Hermoines throat. Ron watched earnestly. Fred and George sat in the back, talking with Harry.  
"Now, I know Hermione was no Krum"  
"No Ginny"  
"Hell, she was no Malfoy-" Fred and George cantered.  
"But she was not that clumsy." The twins concluded.  
"You don't think someone cursed her, do you"  
The twins exchanged dark glances.  
"Not her, mate. The broom. The broom they thought you'd be riding"  
The three silently mused on this grim thought.  
"Wait- have you seen Ginny lately?" Harry set up abruptly.  
" Here! Here I am!" Ginny burst through the door. "How's Hermoine"  
"Doing fine, fine." Mrs. Weasely soothed her. "But where have you been- your robes are caked with dirt"  
"I-er- was trying to get the broomstick bits. try to fix it, be handy, you know"  
Harry gave her a dumb stare.  
" You worried more about the broom than HERMOINE"  
"Well she was obviously well taken care of, wasn't she Potter!" Ginny snapped. Harry's stupor only deepened. Since when had he called her POTTER? Ginny's face relaxed as if by force.  
"I'm sorry Harry. Of course I was worried about Hermoine. But it was your broom. I was worried about you, too." She laid her hand on his arm. Harry felt a fluttering in his stomach, more amazing than any magic worked on him before. 


	3. Chapter 3

**SORRY forTHE LONG WAIT. Sorry for the short chapters. But thanks for the reviews! I'll try to update more, schools been crazy, ya no. But like yall care about this part. **

Harry sat on his bed and rubbed his knuckles against his forehead. Something was definitely off.

Throughout a comparatively lonely dinner (Mr. Weasley was working late, Ron was sitting up with Hermoine, and the twins had gone back to their flat) Ginny had stared at him. She had slid her foot up and down his leg. She had let her hand linger on his for a time completely unnecessary to pass a salt shaker. Harry was thoroughly scared.

Ginny was gorgeous, funny, smart...but she was not a trashy flirt. And until that afternoon, she was not very happy with him. Whatever was happening, it was not natural. A light knock on the door interrupted his musing. Without waiting for a 'come in', Ginny slid into the room and shut the door.

"Harry-" She absently ran her fingers over his back. His spine stiffened abruptly. "Are you ok?"

"Fine." But his tone betrayed him. She sat beside him on the bed.

"You're worried about Hermoine, aren't you?"

No, no not exactly. Harry was more concerned with her attire- he was positively certain that Mrs. Weasley would die if she saw those shorts.

"Mum says she'll be fine." Ginny whispered in his ear. Her fingers toyed with Harry's messy hair. His blood raced. "Do I make you nervous? Come On, Harry, why are so tense?" She leaned in and kissed him.

* * *

"Harry?" Ron asked sleepily as he came into the room. Ginny was on the floor by Harry's bed, Harry was on Ginny. He stood up quickly.

"Oh, hey. Just dropped my wand." He waved it in the air as proof. Blue sparks emitted from the end.

"okay, mate. Man I'm bushed. But Hermione's doing well." Ron began to strip and climb into bed. Ginny giggled slightly and buttoned her shirt. Harry sent her a look. She giggled again and disapperated. Harry got into his own bed and closed his eyes.

…wait a minute, Ginny disapperated. Ginny wasn't even old enough to attend lessons.

His eyes popped open. He lay in his bed, listening to Ron breath. When he's inhale had slowed Harry sat up. He grabbed his invisibility cloak cast it over his pajamas. Silently he tiptoed

Into the hall and down into the room the girls' room. He slid the door open.

"Who's there?" Ginny's voice was unreasonably harsh. "Harry, is that you?"

"Shhh, yes." He through the cloak to the floor. "Ginny, how'd you disapperate?" She looked exasperated for a moment. "What are talking about?"

"You disapperated. From my room." Her face paled. For a moment she almost looked scared.

"Don't tell mum."  
"How do you know how?"  
"I…taught myself."

"Ginny that's impossible."

"No, no, I-" she was interrupted by her wrist watches alarm. Hastily she grabbed a vial from her bedside table. "My-er-medicine. Allergies, you know." She bolted it down. Suddenly, Harry felt strange- weak, a little light headed. Ginny looked positively gorgeous In the dark. He moved closer, and she grinned. There was a hard glint in her eye.


End file.
